Intermittent feeler mechanism for looms



March 3l, 1

A. E. RHOADES INTERMITTENT FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed July 22 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l ,4 T TOR/VEV March 31, 1925- 1,532,094

A. E. RHOADES iNTERMITTENT FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES ALONZO E. RHOADES, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNO'R TO PORATIO'N, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF DRAPER con- MAINE.

INTERMITTENT FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Application filed July 22, 1924-.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALoNzo E. RHoAnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at I-Iopedale, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Intermittent Feel'er Mechanisms for Looms of which the following description, in connection with the accom panying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for loon'is and more particularly to feeler mechanisms of the intermittent type r wherein the feeler has periods of activity I is to provide a feeler mechanism of the intermittent type in which, during the periods of activity of the feeler, the feeler controller may be locked in its feeler freeing position and thus prevent it from interfering with the feeler action until the feeler has been moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling.

In accordance with the present invention, the feeler controller is operated from a train of mechanism at intervals, to cause the controller to move the feeler frontwardly to its inoperative position which is preferably beyond the reach of the filling on detecting beats, and when the feeler is to be freed for movement to its feeling position, the controller is operated to permit such movement of the feeler, and when in its feeler releasing position is locked until 011 a detecting beat the feeler is moved frontwardly by a worle ing supply of filling. Thus the lock prevents the act-uation of the feeler controller during the activity of the feeler until the latter shall have performed one or more of its feeling functions.

The novel features of the invention and new combination of parts will best be made clear from the following description and the Serial No. 727,432. 4

accompanying drawings of one tical form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view at the feeler side of the loom with the present invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a detail of the controller actuator and associated parts;

Fig. 3 shows thefeeler mechanism on an enlarged scale with thefeeler held in its frontward inoperative position; Fig. 4- is a side elevation of the feeler mechanism of the present invention, show ing the feeler controller locked in its feeler freeingposition and about to be tripped by the frontward movement of the feeler; and

Fig. 5 is a View similar to that of Fig. 4; showing the controller as having been tripped from the lock and moved frontwardly to withdraw the feeler into its inoperative position.

In the feeler mechanism shown by the drawings, the feeler is illustrated as of the inclined type in connection with which the advantages of the present invention are manifested, but it is to be understood, of course, that the invention may be utilized advantageously with other types of feelers. 7 It has not been deemed necessary to show the filling replenishing mechanism whereby the new supply of filling is furnished the loom, because the details of such mechanism form no part of the present invention and are now well understood in the art. I

The loom frame 1 having the usual breast beam 2 is provided with bearings 3 for the transverse or rock shaft l for controlling the replenishing mechanism, as usual, and rising from the rock shaft 4 is an arm 5 'pivotally connected at 6 to the rearwardly extending arm 7 to which is pivoted at 8 an end portion 9 adapted to be engaged at times by an operating member 10 which in the present in stance is shown as the cam follower or a part connected thereto.

Underlying the finger 11 secured to the member 9 is an arm 12 of a bell crank lever pivoted at 13 on a support 14 mounted on the loom frame, and connected to the other arm 15 of the bell crank lever is a transmitter 16 through which the feeler acts to effect replenishment of filling when that in the shuttle is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

good prac- Ill Adjustably mounted on the loom frame is the feeler stand 17 which may be appropriately secured to an adjustable bracket 18 carried on the shipper stand by means of a bolt or other securing means 19.

At the rear of the feeler stand is a guideway extending laterally thereof for the guidance of a slide 20 through which the feeler 21 extends. The slide 20 is provided with an opening for the passage of the fee'ler 21, and interposed between a collar or bridge piece 22 secured to the fee'ler and a swivel block 23, at the front of the feeler stand through which the frontw'a-rdly extending stem '24 of the feeler extends, is a spring 25 which normally tends to move the feeler rearward'ly to feeling position.

The parts so far described are similar to the corresponding parts more fully elucidated in the patent to Edward Stimp'son, No. 1,309,226, July 8, 1919, but the feeler and its train of mechanism for effecting replenishment of filling may be of other types.

The lay 26 has the usual shuttle box 27, the front wall of which has an opening 28 which registers with a similar opening 29 in the shuttle 30 when the latter is in the feeler box. In this respect also the construction may be substantially the same as in the Stimpson patent above mentioned.

The feeler stand may be appropriately provided with a bracket 31 and is shown as adjustably connected to the front portion of the feeler stand by a bolt 32. Extending downwardly from the bracket 31 is an arm 33 on which is mounted a bell crank lever 34. As shown, the bell crank lever is mount ed to rock upon the stud 35 carried by the bracket 33 and an upwardly extending arm 36 of the bell crank lever is pivotally connected at 37 to a feeler controller 38 which is mounted for movement towards and from the front of the loom.

In the present instance, the controller 33 is provided with a slot 39 which travels on a pin or stud d0 projecting from the feeler stand 17. The slot 39 is curved in order to preserve a substantially rectilinear movement of the controller 38 towards and from the front of the loom in response to movement of the bell crank lever, but it is apparent that the connection between the 'bell :rank lever and the controller may be so contrived as to impart to the ,feeler controller its prescribed movements by other forms of guiding means.

The feeler controller 38 has a shoulder or tooth &1 at its rear end which is adapted to engage a part carried by the feeler and therethrough to move thefeeler frontwardly when the controller 38 is so moved. As shown, the shoulder or tooth ll is adapted to engage a stud projection 42 extending from the feeler or the collar 22 which is secured to the feeler.

The controller '38 is provided with a locking tooth or projection 43 which is located frontwardly of the loom relative to the shoulder or tooth 41, and which is adapted to be engaged by the locking device when the feelcr 38 is moved to its rearward position to permit the fee'ler to assume its feeling function.

The particular form of locking device shown consists of a pawl or arm 44 pivot ally mounted at 45 on an upwardly extending arm 46 on the bracket 31, and a spring 47 normally acts to assist gravity in moving the locking device 44,- to its locking position in engagement with the tooth r shoulder 4-3 extending from the controller. The locking device 44 is provided with a shoulder 44 which engages the shoulder or projection 43 on the feeler controller to lock it in its rearward position.

In accordance with the present invention, the feeler controller 38 is to be locked in its rear ard or feeler freeing position during a period of activity of the feeler and is to continue to be locked in said position until the feeler itself meets a working supply of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat and is moved frontwardly thereby. When the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling, the present invention contemplates that the locking device 4i shall be tripped from locking engagement with the controller so that the latter may be moved frontwardly by its actuating mechanism to withdraw the feelcr frontwardly into its inoperative position and preferably beyond the reach of the filling on detecting beats.

A. convenient form of trip, as shown in the present instance, consists of an inclined surface d8 formed on the end portion of the locking device 44-, which is adapted to be engaged by the projection 42 carried by the feeler, when the latter is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat.

The arm 34: of the bell crank lever is connected at 49 to a rod 50 extending upwardly, in the present instance, from an arm 51 preferably mounted at 52, Fig. 1, on a bracket 53 which may be appropriately secured to the loom frame as by a bolt 54, Fig. 2. The arm 52 is normally under the influence of a spring '55, one end of which is connected to a bracket arm 56 and the other end of which is connected to the arm 51 at 57, the construction being such that the impulse of the spring normally tends to move the arm 51 contraclockwise, as shown, and such movement is limited bv a stop 58 which may be appropriately secui'ed to the bracket 53.

in accordance with the present invention. the arm 51 is to be actuated at intervals to operate through the feeler controller and 1:

permit the feeler to move to feeling position, and is subsequently returned to its normal position under the influence oi the spring to move the controller frontwardly and withdraw the tee'ler from feeling position.

The actuator for thus periodically operating the arm 51 may be variously contrived from a going part of the loom but in the present instance of the invention the actuator is formed as a lug 59 projecting from the face ota worm wheel 60 mounted on a stud 61 and operated by a worm 62 on the shaft 63 which is shown as extending frontwardly and is operated by a train or gearing from the under or cam shaft of the loom.

The shaft 63 may be connected to the takeup mechanism as usual in some types or looms, for operating the train of take-up gearing 64c and 65 for taking up the cloth as it is woven. From the construction described it will be clear that when the controller 38 is in its frontward position to which it is moved by the spring 55, the shoulder or tooth ll of the controller will engage the projection 42 of the feeler and hold the latter in its frontward inoperative position. When the actuator 59 of the gear 60 or other rotating part engages the end 66 of the arm or lever 51, it will turn the latter clockwise, as shown, thereby turning the bell crank lever and moving the controller 38 rearwardly to thereby permit the iteeler to move to feeling position, and as soon as the actuator 59 has passed the end 66 of the lever 51, the spring 55 will tend to restore the parts to their previous position. When, however, the controller 38 has been thus moved to its rearward position, it is engaged by the locking device 44 to maintain it in its rearward teeler freeing position, notwithstanding the action oi the spring 55. The feeler being now in feeling position may meet a working supply of filling on a detecting beat, whereupon the feeler will be moved frontwardly and, acting through the trip 48, will lift the locking device 44: and free the controller 38 to movement frontwardly responsive to the spring 55, and as the controller moves frontwardly, under the conditions described, the tooth or shoulder 41 of the controller will engage the feeler projection 42 and move the feeler frontwardly to its inoperative position beyond the reach of the filling on subsequent detecting beats. Should, however, the feeler find a near approach to substantial exhaustion of the filling during its active period, it will. not be moved frontwardly sufficiently far to act upon the trip 48 to free the controller, but will remain in active operation and call for replenishment of filling when that in the shuttle is substantially exhausted, the ieeler controller at such times being locked in its feeler freeing position. hen a fresh supply of filling has been furnished, the

feeler will be moved frontwardly on the following detecting heat and again act to unlock or tree the controller to its movement frontwardly and thereby again cause movement of the feeler to its frontward inoperative position.

What is claimed is:

1. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having periods of activity and inactivity during weaving with the same supply of filling in the shuttle, means for moving the feeler from active position and operating at intervals to permit the feeler to move to active position, and a lock for preventing the said means from moving the feeler to its inactive position until the lock is tripped as the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling.

2. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a feeler controller for determining the active and inactive periods of the feeler, means for operating the controller at intervals, and a lock for holding the controller in its feeler freeing position during activity of the feeler until the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling.

3. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler,.a feeler controller for determining the active and inactive periods ofthe feeler, means for operating the controller at intervals, and a lock for holding the controller in its teeler freeing position during a period of activity oi the feeler until the ieeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling and thereby'causes the lock to be tripped.

4. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a feeler controller for determining the, active and inactive periods of the feeler, means for operating the controller at intervals, a lock' for holding the controller in its feeler freeing position during activity of the feeler, and means for tripping the controller look when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling.

5. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a feeler controller for determining the active and inactive periods of the feeler, means for operating the controller at intervals that the :teeler may have periods of activity and periods of inactivity, a lock for holding the C011? troller in feeler freeing-position, and means actuated by the feeler when it is moved trontwardly by a working supply of filling for freeing the controller from the lock that the controller may cause the feeler to be held in its inactive position.

6. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a feeler controller movable to one position for withdrawing the feeler from feeling position and movable. to another position that the ieeler may move to feeling position, means for operating the controller, a lock for looking the controller in its teeler freeing position, and it'eeler actuated means for tripping the look when the feel er is moved frontwardly by a Working supply of filling on a detecting beat.

7. In a teeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a teeler, a feeler controller movable towards the front of the loom for Withdrawing the teeler from feeling position and movable towards the rear of the loom to permit the feeler to move to feeling position, means for operating the coi'itroller, and a controller loclr for preventing 1 rentward movement of the controller responsive to said means during an active period of the teeler until the latter is moved trontivardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat.

8, In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a teeler, a feeler controller movable towards the front of the loom for Withdrawing the feeler from feeling position and movable towards the rear of the loom to permit the feel er to move to feeling position, means for operating the controller, a controller lock for preventing frontward movement of the controller responsive to said means during an active period of the ieeler until the latter is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting heat, and a trip actuated by the feeler.

9. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a sliding controller for determining the active and inactive peri ods of the Seeker, means for operating the resenti controller at intervals, a controller lock for holding the controller in teeler freeing position, and a trip actuated by the feel/er when it is moved trontivardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat that the con troller may act in response to its operating means to Withdraw the teeler from feeling position.

10. In a i'celer mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a feeler controller movable tooards and from the front of the loom to determine the active and inactive periods of the feeler, a projection connected to the controller, a lock for engaging said projection when the controller is in feeler ireeii'ig position, and a teeler actuated trip for treeingg the controller from the lock that the controller may move the feeler to a position beyond the reach of the filling on subsequent detecting beats.

11. In an intermittent teeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a i'eeler controller tor determining the active and inactive periods of the feeler, an arm connected to the controller, an actuator for said arm for permitting .the feeler to move to feeling position at intervals, a spring acting through the controller for placing the feeler in an inoperative position during its periods of inactivity, and a controller lock for preventing movement of the controller responsive to said spring until the lock is tripped on a detecting beat by a working supply or filling in the shuttle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALONZO E. RHOADES. 

